Enough
by onewing
Summary: Kazuki has finally had enough. JuubeiKazuki


Disclaimer: GetBackers and expecially Juubei and Kazuki do not belong to me, obviously.

Warnings: This is just another fandom that I am new in, so, if they are a bit out of character, I am sorry. And yes, this is a Juubei/Kazuki fic.

Enough

Tender hands drifted over his face, down his neck, along his bare shoulders, and into his loose shirt. One hand trailed over his chest, the other over his back, touching, feeling him, and he allowed it. Those callous hands were gentle, protective, as if he were delicate like glass. They treated him as they always had, with reverence, as if he were a god.

This simple, soft touching reminded him how much he was loved. He had missed this desperately when he had gone. The nights after had been cold, and lonely, and the only one to hold him, had been himself. But now, he was safe and warm, another touching him at will, while he rested his head in his lap.

Those hands moved, pushing down his shirt, exposing more of his flesh. Carefully, his protector leaned forward, softly kissing his shoulder.

"Kazuki…" a breath to form his name, as if it were in prayer.

"Yes, Juubei?" he murmured.

"I love you. Forgive me for betraying that love, for betraying you," silent self-torture was in that whisper.

Opening his eyes, he glanced up into bandaged, blind ones. Remaining silent for a brief while, he finally pulled away, sitting up. His shirt pooled around his waist, and he slipped from it as he stood.

"Kazuki?" Juubei's voice was concerned.

Kazuki looked down at him, an unreadable expression on his face, "Stand up, Juubei Kakei," he ordered.

Without a word, his protector stood in front of him, obedient as almost always. He was tense, as if he feared he had angered his lover. He couldn't blame him if it was anger; he had no right to ask for forgiveness for what he had done…

Suddenly, warm, sweet lips touched his, as fingers settled like butterfly wings on either side of his face. At first, he was too shocked to react, but just as Kazuki started to pull away, he put a hand behind his neck, and around his waist. Pulling him back, he gave his hard, passionate response.

Kazuki's hands eventually moved to his chest, and pushed him away a little. Not understanding, Juubei relented, releasing Kazuki.

"This can't keep going on, Juubei, I can't live like this…" the thread master whispered, keeping his hands pressed to Juubei's chest, no longer to push him away, but to keep contact.

"What do you mean, Kazuki?" Juubei asked softly, not making a move to touch him again.

Golden brown eyes rose to meet his blind ones, trembling a little, but in their way, hard as steel, though he couldn't see them, "I can't live with you apologizing for something that was both our faults."

"But, Kazuki, I am the one who attacked you from behind, I am the one who tried to kill you," Juubei protested, but one of Kazuki's hands rose, pressing slender fingers against his lips.

"Yet, I forced you in the end to find other loyalties to ally yourself with. I abandoned you here alone, thinking I was protecting you, when all I did was hurt you…" tears came to Kazuki's eyes, but did not fall, "Yet, I hurt you no matter what I did…" he pulled his hand away to let his lover talk.

Juubei looked down at him, shock registering on his face, "Kazuki, what are you saying? Why were you trying to protect me? That is my duty to you…"

"Juubei, you are still so old fashioned," the string wielder smiled a little before sobering, "But you see, it should be a partnership. You're my dearest, oldest, and greatest friend, and… the only person I could ever love like this. I want, no, need, to protect you, just like you've done for me all these years. And when you were hurt that last time, I realized I wasn't doing that. I saw myself as the greatest threat to you, so I left."

The tears finally slipped from Kazuki's control, trailing down his cheeks in silver lines as he removed his hands from Juubei's chest, and they fell to his sides, "I need to ask for your forgiveness. You've already proven how sorry you are, and I forgave you back on that wretched battle field."

The needle thrower was quiet for a few moments while Kazuki's silent tears continued to fall. Finally, hesitant hands reached out, pulling Kazuki close to lean against him. Kazuki clutched at him, burying his face into his neck as his sobs became heard, though they were quiet, as if Kazuki muffled the sound from getting too loud.

It was some moments before his sobs died away, and he was able to speak again. He didn't dare unbury himself from Juubei's embrace, however, when he did speak, "Please, Juubei, stop torturing yourself. If not for your sake, then for mine, because it hurts so much to watch you do it…"

Juubei was silent for a while. He just stood there, stroking Kazuki's hair in an effort to keep him calm. He had never known his lover felt like this before, and he inwardly kicked himself for not seeing it. Kazuki had been hurting because of his stupid actions once again, and he had been too blind to sense it.

"You're doing it again," Kazuki said softly, his breath warm against Juubei's neck.

Juubei shivered, his hand stilling on Kazuki's back as his lover raised his head, "We need to stop blaming ourselves for things that are past. What we did to each other and to ourselves back then doesn't matter now. Only we matter, and only our future together counts, not our separation, or our past transgressions. Please, Juubei, can we move forward?"

"Kazuki…" Juubei wanted to argue, or at least say he could not forgive himself. But, the tone in his lover's voice, and the look he could almost sense on his face, stilled those thoughts, and words. He could never deny him anything, "Yes, let's move forward. Enough is enough."

Smiling oh so slightly, Kazuki leaned forward, giving his agreement without words as he kissed his protector softly, with every inch of his love for him.


End file.
